The attractive force that allows geckos to walk on the ceiling fluctuates in time at the nanoscale, potentially causing a gecko’s feet to detach from a surface more easily than previous theories suggested.

The stiffness of a single gold atom–measured as a material property–is at least twice that of a macroscopic chunk of gold, according to measurements of a sharp gold point pressed against a gold surface.

A method combining a traditional laser pump-probe experiment with the detection of high-frequency sound and thermal waves reveals the microscopically bumpy interface between two apparently smooth surfaces.

Water containing specialized nanoparticles can transport heat at two different rates, depending on the initial configuration of the particles. An improved version of this system could help regulate heat flow in devices.